Police are warning that motorists who vape while behind the wheel could be banned from driving.

The new advice says that while it isn’t specifically illegal to vape and drive, doing so could still land motorists with a conviction for driving without due care and attention.

It is up to the discretion of police officers to determine what they deem as a potentially dangerous and distracting handheld electronic device, reports Mirror Online.

This could result in drivers receiving up to nine points on their licence and a fine of £2,500.

The warning by senior officers comes as latest figures reveal over three million people in the UK now use e-cigarettes.

"The smoke caused by vapes are a distraction and the consequences of them can be dire, all it takes is a moment to become distracted and potentially cause a crash and even worse, a fatality,” said traffic officer sergeant Carl Knapp.

Read More

Road unit police said that although no new laws will be passed to directly relate to driving and vaping, they will use the power they already have to make sure everyone is driving in line with the law.

A spokesman for the Department of Transport said: "We believe that drivers should always follow the rules set out by the highway code and must always exercise proper control of their vehicle and avoid any distractions, including vaping."

The Bath Chronicle runs a WhatsApp group to help you keep up to date with the latest news. If you'd like to receive news alerts, save the number 07939 497390 to your phone - we recommend saving the contact as 'Bath Chronicle News' - then send the word NEWS to us via WhatsApp. We will send you a maximum of four messages a day and your phone number won't be shared with other members of the group or used for any other purpose.